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Today I will be having my gym induction and seeing as its a Monday and a lot of people out there will be dealing with the Monday blues, I thought I would give you a way of dealing with that "down feeling". Rather than digging in the biscuit tin or nipping round to Tesco because you heard Ben and Jerry's is half price, get your exercise shoes on.
You can do anything from a fitness DVD in your living room, a jog or a swim, it doesn't have to be the gym. I have just joined a new gym and haven't been in two weeks, because I have had to wait for my gym induction and it has been killing me. I've missed it so much. I also get classes and swimming in the monthly deal as well, which is perfect for me as I've always enjoyed swimming.
So, why exercise? Why will that get rid of the Monday morning blues and the stress of starting work after a good weekend?
Firstly, it increases the production of dopamine. Dopamine is known as the "happy chemical" as it plays a role in happiness. It is a neurotransmitter in the brain that's necessary for feelings of pleasure and happiness. It also helps with reducing stress levels in the short term and the long term. When you exercise, you are actually subjecting yourself to a low-level form of stress by raising your heart rate and triggering a burst of hormonal changes. When you subject yourself to the stress of exercise enough, you body will eventually get better at handling life's stressful situations.
Secondly it boosts your energy levels. Sometimes I really do have to try and muster up all the energy I have to do a workout because I feel shattered after a day of work. However, after doing a workout, I more than often feel completely energised after or I surprised myself with how much energy I didn't realise I had.
Thirdly, it can help build confidence. I always find I feel confident during and after a workout. Also after a month of increasing my exercise and eating better you will notice positive changes in your body. No matter what, when your jeans don't feel as tight when you put them on in the mornings you will feel better about yourself. Exercise will help you to not only build confidence but it will help you to be more independent and feel stronger.
Lastly, it helps with health issues like insomnia and anxiety. For people that suffer with anxiety, studies have shown that people with anxiety that the immediate mood boost from exercise is followed by longer term relief. Also for people that suffer from insomnia, doing regular exercise has been shown to improve sleeping problems. Regular exercise can also improve the quality of your sleep as well.
So next time your feeling stressed or down and need a pick me up don't reach for that glass of wine or the box of chocolates. Get you running shoes on and do some exercise, you body with benefit from it physically and mentally. Get moving.
here is a good website to look at to get some motivation.
THIS GIRL CAN
This Girl Can is a national campaign developed by Sport England and a wide range of partnership organisations. It’s a celebration of active women up and down the country who are doing their thing no matter how well they do it, how they look or even how red their face gets.
